[grivera]

Originally Posted by Skippy597

What's the difference between the 5/8 and stock 9/16 ball. Is it worth swapping?

The premise for a 9/16 ball is in case debris gets into the pump, the smaller ball will allow it to pass vs the ball getting hung up on the debris. And if a 9/16 ball is used, it should be shimmed to restore the pump’s pressure to what it would have been with the stock 5/8 ball.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

Not all the thick plates use countersunk bolts. In fact they are the least common.

I was talking about the thicker cast iron ones. I have not seen a cast iron cover without the countersunk holes.
BTW, if anyone gets the Nightmare plate, do not get the "Pro" plate.
That groove is BS. Its too large a dia, no way it can hold a oil wedge.

[P@blo]

Some of the thicker plates available are aluma-bronze alloy. The Butler plates look aluminum but I could be wrong. If the thicker plates are aluminum I am not sure using one would be any benefit. A thin steel plate would be stronger. Its not like we have steel plate bottom pumps cracking either so one has to wonder if the plate mod is a feel good type of deal. No harm or real benefit even with the grooves.

Looks like Butler does not machine the pump to block bolt head surface flat either, even on their PRO pumps.

[P@blo]

I was wrong and the Butler pro pump machines the foot, sorry guys.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

I was talking about the thicker cast iron ones. I have not seen a cast iron cover without the countersunk holes.

I know, the good thick covers were standard on all factory RAIV & SD455 pumps and the Melling 60 & 80 lbs. pumps until they consolidated their product line so all their pumps used the cheap cover. Around 1990 $18.95 would get you a high quality pump from Melling. Since then every part has been cheapened and imported, now they cost about $90

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Skippy597

I believe he was referring to the butler pro pump as they use countersunk bolts.

He wasn't, the Butler pump comes with the countersink bolts and a special spacer for a "strap" oil pick up can be used.... That gear cover isn't cast iron

[chiphead]

Link to my review of the 10540, from 2018

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...ighlight=10540

[Skippy597]

Thanks Chip,
I read that thread and it nudged me away from the 10540 pump

[P@blo]

I guess the thicker aluminum bottom plate would save some weight

[Skippy597]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

Another options is the Nitemare Performance pump.

http://www.nitemareperformance.com/h...20oilpump.html

I'm running this along with Darren's gun drilled hardened driveshaft and his oil pan. My engine builder had high praise for the pump.

Looking at nightmare performances page I'm not sure what they do to make the pump better. Their listing pretty much is a direct copy and paste of the melling 10540 pump. And appears they just add their plate to it. I may be wrong but I don't know why they wouldn't list the work done to improve performance.

[sdbob]

I was going to order the pro plate thank you for the info.

[JLMounce]

Originally Posted by Skippy597

Looking at nightmare performances page I'm not sure what they do to make the pump better. Their listing pretty much is a direct copy and paste of the melling 10540 pump. And appears they just add their plate to it. I may be wrong but I don't know why they wouldn't list the work done to improve performance.

I'd recommend talking with Darrin at Nitemare directly. Like any of the performance pumps, they start with a melling piece and blueprint from there. If I recall my conversations, it's checked for straightness, run-out on the gears etc.

Darrin talked more specifically about the plate. It's a machined steel plate at .25" and the pro option has a .040x.040 machined ring under the drive and coast gears. It adds direct lubrication to the underside of the gears and Darrin claims in helps with cavitation.

I did his hole kit at the same time. pump, driveshaft and oil pan.

I won't pretend to be an oil-pump expert, but my engine building was impressed with the pump. He gave me unsolicited praise of it when I mentioned the engine had a nice oil pressure curve on the dyno. It does just about 85psi at 6000 rpm. With the hole kit I've never once seen oil starvation issues, and I swing the car around a good bit.

[propuckstopper]

Try this guy...

https://stores.precisionoilpumps.com...i-street-pump/

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by sdbob

I was going to order the pro plate thank you for the info.

I still have one sitting in my toolbox. Not going to use it. A PY member PMed me about it and yep, that groove is too large a circle to do anything good. It can only make things worse.
I took a standard Nightmare plate and copied the location for that little slot the cast iron plates have. Got a small dia cutoff wheel and carefully made my own slot, dusted the edge with a piece of 400 grit .
I just found another pump on E Bay that a non Melling which is what I want as this one has enough meat around the pickup tube boss to use a Ford Mod .900 dia pickup tube.

[cmoc-bob]

+1 to look at Precision Oil Pumps

[blueghoast]

What was the number on a stock oil pump say like a 2-barrel 400 ci
And what kind of oil pressure would it have, I thought they were 40 psi?

GT

[Skippy597]

Originally Posted by propuckstopper

Try this guy...

https://stores.precisionoilpumps.com...i-street-pump/

That might be the way I go.

[P@blo]

Dragncar, your pump picture with the thick cast bottom plate looks like the countersunk holes were slotted to the right to get the holes to line up but could be just shadows. If there has been a massage, not sure I would be keen on that once going with weaker CI over steel is factored in.

Appears as though the Precision pump uses the thin steel plate. Not exactly clear on the rational for doubling up the thin steel plate either other than a feel good.

[steve25]

The part for the 40 psi 5/8” pick up tube thin steel plate pump was 9787517 up to 1971.

After that it changed to 9787518.

[Half-Inch Stud]

SD pickup. Icould not find a new one of these across the past 3 months, so got a ebay melling 54-F-DS with the regular big tube pickup.